PHEA MEET: LowiePete's Detailing Meet - Saturday 22nd April
Discussion
Hello Folks,
As there was a lot to take in on the day, here's a couple of posts as your
reference. The first is on rinseless / bucketless washing and how to do
it safely.
Most of the content of this thread I've copied from my regular posts on the
Disabled Detailing thread. This describes how I use Optimum No Rinse (ONR)
as a bucketless wash. For me, carrying buckets of water around inevitably
ends up with me spilling some, so finding alternative methods of cleaning here
has been a revelation.
The technique that I've described below can be slightly adapted as a method
of using ONR as a drying aid. Using _dry_ MF towels on paint that you can't
be certain is clean is probably the quickest way of inducing swirls. You can
actually watch the ONR evaporate, safe in the knowledge that you won't
get any water-spots.
Don't let the "disabled" bit put you off! The "savvy" people interpret this as
being a "labour-saving alternative". Also, if limited access to water, or carrying
buckets a fair distance puts you off from car cleaning, there is now no reason
to not have a gleaming car. All I've done is to adopt 21stC products like MF
cloths and ONR, and I'm not looking back. The car I drive is also pretty rare!
This is Tia's Taxi on its 4th birthday after nearly 4 years worth of ONR in the
cleaning regime. Still no machine has been near it..! Please ignore the dirty
wheels, they were cleaned the next day with CG Hose-Free Eco instead.
I should emphasise that my starting point has been a fully protected car!
At any point in time the paint is wearing a good wax coating.
Whilst many people are using ONR as a replacement shampoo in a bucket, I
can say that it's safe to go to the next stage, and obviate the suds bucket
altogether. For me that's no longer an option anyway and I'm fully happy to
trust the wonders of ONR.
The key with ONR is to allow the product time to do its work. First,
you spray a fine mist of the product (ONR in a fairly high concentration, say
between 32 and 40 parts water to 1), and leave it to dwell for a while. Start
with 30 seconds or more. At that strength you'll probably be surprised at the
very slow rate of evaporation, even on warm panels.
The way to test if it's ready to wipe is to give another ONR squirt at the dirt
a little while after the initial spraying. If you see dirt movement, it's ready.
On heavier soiling, you can of course give it a second spraying before wiping.
As I've said, I now trust ONR enough to use it as a totally bucketless wash.
Here's my method for the car bodywork... (not the wheels!)
Important!
Please be aware that you should only use this method when you are
absolutely sure there is no road salt present.
Before wiping, spray an MF cloth about 6 times per side, then fold it into 4.
This cloth folding part is absolutely vital! ( See how an expert views this) Then
spray the panel to be wiped with a fine mist of ONR and allow it to dwell.
If your cloth is already folded, do remember to ONR prime the side that will
do the wiping so that it's lightly dampened. At no point is a dry MF cloth
applied to the paint during this washing process!
Before you start, decide whether you'll wipe from left to right, or as I'm
showing from right to left. You should always lift the cloth between wipes.
Place the cloth, with the folded side as the leading edge at your starting
point. This keeps the folding integral when you wipe. Grab that leading
edge twixt thumb and forefinger to drag the cloth.
The cloth in position
Lightly drag the cloth over the panel, quickly observing what you have picked
up after every pass. I should emphasise that at no point is there ever any
rubbing involved!
The cloth turned over after the first pass
Lift the cloth off the paint and return close to your previous starting point. Do
_not_ wipe back and forth! Doing so will not only blur the points where you
decide to turn the cloth over, but you'll also find keeping the folds together
quite a difficult task.
For the next pass, slightly adjust how you hold the cloth by grabbing say
another half inch of it, again observe what's been collected. You'll see that
you'll have another leading edge of dirt. With practice, you can also keep
hold of the cloth for the second and subsequent passes and just rotate
your hand slightly. This method is all about your wrist action, so you know
that the previous leading edge is always held clear of the paint. You should
certainly get 3 passes with one side.
The cloth after the 2nd pass. Bearing mind what I've said above, I'd
now turn the cloth over and avoid the 3rd pass.
With each pass, use your own judgement about when to turn the cloth to a
clean side. For each subsequent pass you could just rotate the cloth so you
have a different leading edge on that drag, although I'd only now do this
when using ONR as a QD.
On light soiling you may not need to turn the cloth over to a clean side until
you go to the next panel, so you'll safely do 8 panels with just one cloth.
I class the bonnet and roof as 2 panels each.
The cloth after completing the roof. The top left corner shows
where I've completed 3 passes, using my hand-rotation method
However, there is no challenge here on using just one cloth! If the soiling on
the cloth is heavy, don't forget you can always use multiple MF cloths - with
ONR you can never have enough of them.
On vertical surfaces, it's better to work in straight downward strokes, holding
the fold at the top. If there's more than light soiling, a second spraying just
before the first wipe is preferable. Tackling this safely is a matter of practice,
so take your time!
You will need to ensure that you don't place any more pressure on the paint
than if you were cleaning the roof or bonnet, so on the first few goes, look
for the less soiled areas to clean first. There will be no need to dry, the
polymers left behind either add their own protection or a ready base for a QD
like OID or FK#425.
All of the above is entirely a judgement call based upon what you see on the
cloth. Once you get used to it, judging a cloth rotation or flip-over will be
the work of moments. Yes, when you first tackle this, it'll be very scary!
Remember though that "Tia's Taxi" is no cheap runabout, and the paint
on this Renault is surprisingly soft...
If you do get light swirls, they won't be _any_ more serious than those that
are inevitable with any other washing method. Lightness of touch will ensure
that you won't get swirls or marring, just let the product and the cloth do
their work and it won't disappoint.
It won't be long before you'll be wondering how you ever managed without
ONR. It's no understatement that for me, it has been a revelation!
Regards,
Steve
As there was a lot to take in on the day, here's a couple of posts as your
reference. The first is on rinseless / bucketless washing and how to do
it safely.
Most of the content of this thread I've copied from my regular posts on the
Disabled Detailing thread. This describes how I use Optimum No Rinse (ONR)
as a bucketless wash. For me, carrying buckets of water around inevitably
ends up with me spilling some, so finding alternative methods of cleaning here
has been a revelation.
The technique that I've described below can be slightly adapted as a method
of using ONR as a drying aid. Using _dry_ MF towels on paint that you can't
be certain is clean is probably the quickest way of inducing swirls. You can
actually watch the ONR evaporate, safe in the knowledge that you won't
get any water-spots.
Don't let the "disabled" bit put you off! The "savvy" people interpret this as
being a "labour-saving alternative". Also, if limited access to water, or carrying
buckets a fair distance puts you off from car cleaning, there is now no reason
to not have a gleaming car. All I've done is to adopt 21stC products like MF
cloths and ONR, and I'm not looking back. The car I drive is also pretty rare!
This is Tia's Taxi on its 4th birthday after nearly 4 years worth of ONR in the
cleaning regime. Still no machine has been near it..! Please ignore the dirty
wheels, they were cleaned the next day with CG Hose-Free Eco instead.
I should emphasise that my starting point has been a fully protected car!
At any point in time the paint is wearing a good wax coating.
Whilst many people are using ONR as a replacement shampoo in a bucket, I
can say that it's safe to go to the next stage, and obviate the suds bucket
altogether. For me that's no longer an option anyway and I'm fully happy to
trust the wonders of ONR.
The key with ONR is to allow the product time to do its work. First,
you spray a fine mist of the product (ONR in a fairly high concentration, say
between 32 and 40 parts water to 1), and leave it to dwell for a while. Start
with 30 seconds or more. At that strength you'll probably be surprised at the
very slow rate of evaporation, even on warm panels.
The way to test if it's ready to wipe is to give another ONR squirt at the dirt
a little while after the initial spraying. If you see dirt movement, it's ready.
On heavier soiling, you can of course give it a second spraying before wiping.
As I've said, I now trust ONR enough to use it as a totally bucketless wash.
Here's my method for the car bodywork... (not the wheels!)
Important!
Please be aware that you should only use this method when you are
absolutely sure there is no road salt present.
Before wiping, spray an MF cloth about 6 times per side, then fold it into 4.
This cloth folding part is absolutely vital! ( See how an expert views this) Then
spray the panel to be wiped with a fine mist of ONR and allow it to dwell.
If your cloth is already folded, do remember to ONR prime the side that will
do the wiping so that it's lightly dampened. At no point is a dry MF cloth
applied to the paint during this washing process!
Before you start, decide whether you'll wipe from left to right, or as I'm
showing from right to left. You should always lift the cloth between wipes.
Place the cloth, with the folded side as the leading edge at your starting
point. This keeps the folding integral when you wipe. Grab that leading
edge twixt thumb and forefinger to drag the cloth.
The cloth in position
Lightly drag the cloth over the panel, quickly observing what you have picked
up after every pass. I should emphasise that at no point is there ever any
rubbing involved!
The cloth turned over after the first pass
Lift the cloth off the paint and return close to your previous starting point. Do
_not_ wipe back and forth! Doing so will not only blur the points where you
decide to turn the cloth over, but you'll also find keeping the folds together
quite a difficult task.
For the next pass, slightly adjust how you hold the cloth by grabbing say
another half inch of it, again observe what's been collected. You'll see that
you'll have another leading edge of dirt. With practice, you can also keep
hold of the cloth for the second and subsequent passes and just rotate
your hand slightly. This method is all about your wrist action, so you know
that the previous leading edge is always held clear of the paint. You should
certainly get 3 passes with one side.
The cloth after the 2nd pass. Bearing mind what I've said above, I'd
now turn the cloth over and avoid the 3rd pass.
With each pass, use your own judgement about when to turn the cloth to a
clean side. For each subsequent pass you could just rotate the cloth so you
have a different leading edge on that drag, although I'd only now do this
when using ONR as a QD.
On light soiling you may not need to turn the cloth over to a clean side until
you go to the next panel, so you'll safely do 8 panels with just one cloth.
I class the bonnet and roof as 2 panels each.
The cloth after completing the roof. The top left corner shows
where I've completed 3 passes, using my hand-rotation method
However, there is no challenge here on using just one cloth! If the soiling on
the cloth is heavy, don't forget you can always use multiple MF cloths - with
ONR you can never have enough of them.
On vertical surfaces, it's better to work in straight downward strokes, holding
the fold at the top. If there's more than light soiling, a second spraying just
before the first wipe is preferable. Tackling this safely is a matter of practice,
so take your time!
You will need to ensure that you don't place any more pressure on the paint
than if you were cleaning the roof or bonnet, so on the first few goes, look
for the less soiled areas to clean first. There will be no need to dry, the
polymers left behind either add their own protection or a ready base for a QD
like OID or FK#425.
All of the above is entirely a judgement call based upon what you see on the
cloth. Once you get used to it, judging a cloth rotation or flip-over will be
the work of moments. Yes, when you first tackle this, it'll be very scary!
Remember though that "Tia's Taxi" is no cheap runabout, and the paint
on this Renault is surprisingly soft...
If you do get light swirls, they won't be _any_ more serious than those that
are inevitable with any other washing method. Lightness of touch will ensure
that you won't get swirls or marring, just let the product and the cloth do
their work and it won't disappoint.
It won't be long before you'll be wondering how you ever managed without
ONR. It's no understatement that for me, it has been a revelation!
Regards,
Steve
Edited by LowiePete on Sunday 23 April 16:59
Hello Folks,
Introduction
For my recent detailing day I decided that as the results that come from my
clay cloth demo draw the most gasps of surprise, I'd offer one as a prize in
the free draw. After all, at ten quid a throw during Alex's sale, they're cheap
enough. What has prompted this post is my horror at some of the almost
throw-away remarks made about clay cloths, not least from Alex himself.
The words "sloshing" and especially "marring" don't figure either in my use
or results from using this technology, so my aim is to banish the latter from
happening if I can. I have done these demos for several years now and
no-one has come back to me to complain of marring, so you'll understand
my surprise, particularly at the seeming acceptance of that kind of damage
being the norm. In my experience it is wholly avoidable!
My target for the original review was a C class Merc. It's the farm mule that
gets just about as much abuse and neglect that any 4 wheel vehicle could
get. Being a farm work-horse, it doesn't get spared any muck or weather!
Here's a couple of pics of what I was greeted with at the start - if it looks
clean, that's just the residue of a previous detail I had done a few months
earlier that year...
The Clay Cloth
The cloth itself is made of microfibre, coated on one side only by a rubbery
membrane. The surface of it is by no means smooth! Immediately, the first
benefit springs to mind. Imagine a clay bar surface area. When the clay cloth
is folded into 4, which I would very strongly recommend, you have the surface
equivalent of several clay bars. Not only that, more or less 100% of the area
touched by the membrane is going to be working.
Dealing With a New Cloth
The first hurdle is encountering the instructions on the side of the box. Next
to useless doesn't come close! It's no surprise that there are reports of damage
if those are the only guidance, especially for new users!
So, your starting point is to add 2 capfuls of ONR to around 4 litres of tepid
water and throw in the cloth. Just let it rest there for several minutes. You
should also have a spray bottle with 1 capful of ONR per 500mls of water.
With a new cloth, always start by cleaning your glass. This will help remove
or reduce any high-spots in the membrane. With the cloth folded into four and
the furrows pointing N to S place the wet cloth onto an already well wetted
surface ready to push W to E and back with nothing more than thumb and
pinky finger.
Note: The remainder of your hand must _not_ be either resting on or
applying _any_ pressure to the cloth. I cannot emphasise this enough! Also,
it might seem obvious, but do ensure that you have used all 4 sides of the
cloth on your glass.
Choice of Cleaning Lubricant
I have advocated ONR with a clay cloth from the very beginning, but if you
don't have any then you do need to be a tad careful about your alternative.
Not every shampoo will have sufficient lubrication, or it might suffer from
slightly too quick evaporation.
I certainly have mixed feelings about bubbles, so my advice would be to
look at lubricating QDs. Avoiding anything that stops you from being able to
clearly see the more stubborn marks is pretty essential. A stone-chip in the
paint will probably give an audible warning of its presence, yet no amount of
passes will eradicate that problem.
The Process
I imagine that everyone has their own way of claying, so it's probably of
benefit if I quickly describe the approach I had. Because I have limited motor
function that is exacerbated by my being fairly unsteady on my feet, I found
claying very scary indeed, with me being really worried I'd be marring the
paint. After all, I don't have any means of correcting such damage.
However, what I managed to do was let the clay loose under my hand, with
it forming a kind of cage over the clay. Liberally lubricating the surface meant
that the clay could slide back and forth like a puck over the paint without me
having to physically hold it. It worked and I was able to relax and enjoy the
process. That became my next question with the clay-cloth.
The cloth folded and in place on a liberally lubricated surface. I used ONR at 32:1
Would this new process be as rewarding, and indeed as therapeutic, as the
claying process is? No problem. Having thoroughly soaked the cloth in an ONR
solution, about 2 capfuls in 4 litres of water, I then sprayed the area to be
clayed with ONR at 32:1. Folding the cloth into 4 gives you 4 separate areas
with which to work. Not only that, it avoids any wrinkles, and gives you much
better control over the cloth.
There is one very important thing to note with folding the cloth, in that its
furrows should be running North to South whilst you're gently pushing it from
East to West and back again. If you miss this, then you reduce its potential
to work exponentially.
The cleaning process is done by the rubber furrows causing the equivalent of
hundreds of mini-tsunamis between it and the surface. It's the suction that's
caused by this process when the magic happens. There is absolutely no
physical contact twixt the rubber membrane and the surface and at no time
should this happen! The only outcome of that would be damage to both the
cloth and to your paint.
Also, unlike clay, the sharps do not get embedded into the membrane, so
turning the cloth over frequently and rinsing it often are basic mantras. The
ONR solution is rendering the sharps mute by its enveloping polymers, so
this is another key factor in your choice of cleaning lubricant.
The weight of the cloth on its own is plenty enough to work at its best. If you
add any pressure you can/will impede the way this technology works with its
cleaning fluid. Whilst bubbles may help, for me they reduce the visibility of
any quite stubborn marks and how slowly or quickly the cloth is reducing
them. The primary functions of the liquid are lubrication and stopping any
damage from any sharps. (I have not tried any SP potions for this purpose.)
An Audio Indicator
One thing that you must completely avoid is pressure! Just let the cloth slide
back and forth in straight lines, with nothing more than the weight of the
cloth pressing on the paint. The first thing to do as you move the cloth is to
listen carefully. Much more than clay, you get instant feedback about how
rough or smooth the surface is. In some places, it'll half scare you to death,
because it'll sound like you're sawing wood!
If you get a sound like that, then it is vital that you turn the cloth over very
frequently, after no more than 4 passes (2 out and 2 back). I tend to turn
the cloth to its 3rd side by the 10th pass and chuck it in the bucket for quick
rinsing after about 16 passes.
Of course, this audio indicator will be a constant reminder that your touch
must be gentle. If you pick out any little marks, as you slide the cloth back
and forth, you can watch them disappear. Seeing these does not mean you
then add a little pressure to "help"; it won't! There's some satisfaction in just
watching this, but don't let it distract you from turning the cloth over. Here's
a couple of before and after pictures of the same area...
Did you notice the flake-pop?
As the cleaning process advances and the surface gets smoother, so your
audio cues reduce down, almost to silence. The sliding action of the cloth
will also improve to the point where very little sideways force will move it.
Working Area
For each set of passes select an area that is easy to monitor. The best
examples are to divide the roof into 4 or a big bonnet into 6. If you choose
too large an area you'll almost be bound to lose concentration and possibly
miss some areas altogether.
Before going to the next section you should ensure that the current one is
both clean and dry. You should not allow the cleaning lubricant to evaporate!
Working on Vertical Surfaces
Having practiced zero pressure movement on the horizontals, how does this
translate to the verticals? All you do with your hand is create a pocket by
holding it about an inch / 25mm away from the surface and using all your
fingertips as the bottom. Your fingertips should always be in touch with the
paint, being lubricated along in the same way as the cloth.
All that your hand does is stop the cloth from wrinkling. You _do not_
apply pressure!
Working on Glass
If there was one area that I didn't ever like claying, it's on vehicle glass. Just
trying to keep control of the puck under my hand drove me nuts! With a clay
cloth, getting to a smooth surface is a breeze. Once again, I must emphasise,
only very gentle swipes are needed. It will very quickly become clear just
how effective it is.
Here's how clean the rear window got within just a minute or so
...and here's a 50/50 showing the effectiveness of the cleaning
The Results
At my detailing days I always look forward to asking the guys to stroke the
paint once it has been dried following the clay cloth practice. Even on a car
with paint that started out feeling like glasspaper, the sheer surprise at how
smooth the paint feels is palpable.
The transformation tends to generate comments of disbelief and, I have to
say, pure joy!
Cleaning Power
If you're still not convinced, here's a before and after of my ONR bucket. If
you know how ONR behaves, then what you see in the bucket will probably
startle you. I started with a washed car. However, this is what the clay cloth
fetched out of just _half_ the car!
So, what does this cloth remove? Well, along with any hidden embedded sharps
it removed several minor blemishes in the paint. The black spots in the photo
above were deposited by farm flies and can set like tar. As far as tar is
concerned, the cloth will remove tiny spots, but bigger specks should be
tackled with a dedicated tar remover. I'd prefer that to the risk of marring.
With the cloth presenting a much greater working surface, the clean could
never be matched by a clay bar alone, and especially with such light stroking
of the paint surface. Talk about satisfaction with the outcome!
Of course, being in Cumbria, where it knows how to rain, I got interrupted
by the mandatory shower. Here's a view of the beading on clean paint.
Will the Cloth Mar my Paint?
With the audio reminder of just how smooth, or not, the paint surface is,
there's little likelihood of damage as long as you take the greatest care.
The biggest hurdle to overcome by my attendees yesterday was avoiding
the application of pressure. To most it was completely counter-intuitive.
You should take just the same precautions as you do with clay. Frequently
turning the cloth and rinsing it thoroughly all help to keep your surface as
clean and swirl free as possible. I'm hoping that by substituting these notes
for the hopeless instructions on the box, you'll avoid marring too.
Caring For Your Cloth
Whether it costs a tenner or multiples of that, you'll want to keep your
cloth as a working tool for some while. This is quite possible without a
lot of fuss. At the end of the cleaning session, simply give the cloth a
rinse with clean water, don't wring it, but let the surplus water drain out
for several moments before placing it on a dry MF towel, membrane side
up.
Allow the cloth to air dry, then turn it over on the MF towel and gently
fold / roll it backwards into thirds or quarters. If the membrane, which will
remain sticky, actually gets face to face and sticks, then dunk the whole
cloth in fairly warm water a few minutes before trying to gently separate.
One thing I would not recommend is that you mix your clay cloth with
other MF cloths used during the detail, with the cloth joining the MFs
in their 40, 50 or 60 degree wash. It might survive the wash, but the
quite severe wrinkling from the spin-dry will be permanent!
Conclusions
At the start of my adventures with clay cloths I wondered what the devil I
was going to say about such expensive technology. Well even then, as Yoda
might say: "Impressed, I was!" Now that the price has come down to much
more manageable levels I'd say that no detailing armoury should be without
such a useful tool.
One other point. With clay you need to have everything sufficiently warm to
keep it supple and easy to use. The performance of the clay cloth is not in
any way diminished or hampered by cool conditions. Just as long as you keep
everything well lubricated, you'll be fine. Personally, I prefer a lubricant that
doesn't foam, ONR fits the bill perfectly, but that's because I want to keep a
very careful eye on the surface and bubbles would get in the way of that.
How Do I Get One?
At the time of writing, the cloths are priced @ £9.99, exclusive of delivery.
That represents a discount close to 35%!
The "medium" grade cloth was used for our detailing day.
The "fine" grade cloth will probably be just as good.
Personally, I think any difference could be down to marketing hype.
Regards,
Steve
Introduction
For my recent detailing day I decided that as the results that come from my
clay cloth demo draw the most gasps of surprise, I'd offer one as a prize in
the free draw. After all, at ten quid a throw during Alex's sale, they're cheap
enough. What has prompted this post is my horror at some of the almost
throw-away remarks made about clay cloths, not least from Alex himself.
The words "sloshing" and especially "marring" don't figure either in my use
or results from using this technology, so my aim is to banish the latter from
happening if I can. I have done these demos for several years now and
no-one has come back to me to complain of marring, so you'll understand
my surprise, particularly at the seeming acceptance of that kind of damage
being the norm. In my experience it is wholly avoidable!
My target for the original review was a C class Merc. It's the farm mule that
gets just about as much abuse and neglect that any 4 wheel vehicle could
get. Being a farm work-horse, it doesn't get spared any muck or weather!
Here's a couple of pics of what I was greeted with at the start - if it looks
clean, that's just the residue of a previous detail I had done a few months
earlier that year...
The Clay Cloth
The cloth itself is made of microfibre, coated on one side only by a rubbery
membrane. The surface of it is by no means smooth! Immediately, the first
benefit springs to mind. Imagine a clay bar surface area. When the clay cloth
is folded into 4, which I would very strongly recommend, you have the surface
equivalent of several clay bars. Not only that, more or less 100% of the area
touched by the membrane is going to be working.
Dealing With a New Cloth
The first hurdle is encountering the instructions on the side of the box. Next
to useless doesn't come close! It's no surprise that there are reports of damage
if those are the only guidance, especially for new users!
So, your starting point is to add 2 capfuls of ONR to around 4 litres of tepid
water and throw in the cloth. Just let it rest there for several minutes. You
should also have a spray bottle with 1 capful of ONR per 500mls of water.
With a new cloth, always start by cleaning your glass. This will help remove
or reduce any high-spots in the membrane. With the cloth folded into four and
the furrows pointing N to S place the wet cloth onto an already well wetted
surface ready to push W to E and back with nothing more than thumb and
pinky finger.
Note: The remainder of your hand must _not_ be either resting on or
applying _any_ pressure to the cloth. I cannot emphasise this enough! Also,
it might seem obvious, but do ensure that you have used all 4 sides of the
cloth on your glass.
Choice of Cleaning Lubricant
I have advocated ONR with a clay cloth from the very beginning, but if you
don't have any then you do need to be a tad careful about your alternative.
Not every shampoo will have sufficient lubrication, or it might suffer from
slightly too quick evaporation.
I certainly have mixed feelings about bubbles, so my advice would be to
look at lubricating QDs. Avoiding anything that stops you from being able to
clearly see the more stubborn marks is pretty essential. A stone-chip in the
paint will probably give an audible warning of its presence, yet no amount of
passes will eradicate that problem.
The Process
I imagine that everyone has their own way of claying, so it's probably of
benefit if I quickly describe the approach I had. Because I have limited motor
function that is exacerbated by my being fairly unsteady on my feet, I found
claying very scary indeed, with me being really worried I'd be marring the
paint. After all, I don't have any means of correcting such damage.
However, what I managed to do was let the clay loose under my hand, with
it forming a kind of cage over the clay. Liberally lubricating the surface meant
that the clay could slide back and forth like a puck over the paint without me
having to physically hold it. It worked and I was able to relax and enjoy the
process. That became my next question with the clay-cloth.
The cloth folded and in place on a liberally lubricated surface. I used ONR at 32:1
Would this new process be as rewarding, and indeed as therapeutic, as the
claying process is? No problem. Having thoroughly soaked the cloth in an ONR
solution, about 2 capfuls in 4 litres of water, I then sprayed the area to be
clayed with ONR at 32:1. Folding the cloth into 4 gives you 4 separate areas
with which to work. Not only that, it avoids any wrinkles, and gives you much
better control over the cloth.
There is one very important thing to note with folding the cloth, in that its
furrows should be running North to South whilst you're gently pushing it from
East to West and back again. If you miss this, then you reduce its potential
to work exponentially.
The cleaning process is done by the rubber furrows causing the equivalent of
hundreds of mini-tsunamis between it and the surface. It's the suction that's
caused by this process when the magic happens. There is absolutely no
physical contact twixt the rubber membrane and the surface and at no time
should this happen! The only outcome of that would be damage to both the
cloth and to your paint.
Also, unlike clay, the sharps do not get embedded into the membrane, so
turning the cloth over frequently and rinsing it often are basic mantras. The
ONR solution is rendering the sharps mute by its enveloping polymers, so
this is another key factor in your choice of cleaning lubricant.
The weight of the cloth on its own is plenty enough to work at its best. If you
add any pressure you can/will impede the way this technology works with its
cleaning fluid. Whilst bubbles may help, for me they reduce the visibility of
any quite stubborn marks and how slowly or quickly the cloth is reducing
them. The primary functions of the liquid are lubrication and stopping any
damage from any sharps. (I have not tried any SP potions for this purpose.)
An Audio Indicator
One thing that you must completely avoid is pressure! Just let the cloth slide
back and forth in straight lines, with nothing more than the weight of the
cloth pressing on the paint. The first thing to do as you move the cloth is to
listen carefully. Much more than clay, you get instant feedback about how
rough or smooth the surface is. In some places, it'll half scare you to death,
because it'll sound like you're sawing wood!
If you get a sound like that, then it is vital that you turn the cloth over very
frequently, after no more than 4 passes (2 out and 2 back). I tend to turn
the cloth to its 3rd side by the 10th pass and chuck it in the bucket for quick
rinsing after about 16 passes.
Of course, this audio indicator will be a constant reminder that your touch
must be gentle. If you pick out any little marks, as you slide the cloth back
and forth, you can watch them disappear. Seeing these does not mean you
then add a little pressure to "help"; it won't! There's some satisfaction in just
watching this, but don't let it distract you from turning the cloth over. Here's
a couple of before and after pictures of the same area...
Did you notice the flake-pop?
As the cleaning process advances and the surface gets smoother, so your
audio cues reduce down, almost to silence. The sliding action of the cloth
will also improve to the point where very little sideways force will move it.
Working Area
For each set of passes select an area that is easy to monitor. The best
examples are to divide the roof into 4 or a big bonnet into 6. If you choose
too large an area you'll almost be bound to lose concentration and possibly
miss some areas altogether.
Before going to the next section you should ensure that the current one is
both clean and dry. You should not allow the cleaning lubricant to evaporate!
Working on Vertical Surfaces
Having practiced zero pressure movement on the horizontals, how does this
translate to the verticals? All you do with your hand is create a pocket by
holding it about an inch / 25mm away from the surface and using all your
fingertips as the bottom. Your fingertips should always be in touch with the
paint, being lubricated along in the same way as the cloth.
All that your hand does is stop the cloth from wrinkling. You _do not_
apply pressure!
Working on Glass
If there was one area that I didn't ever like claying, it's on vehicle glass. Just
trying to keep control of the puck under my hand drove me nuts! With a clay
cloth, getting to a smooth surface is a breeze. Once again, I must emphasise,
only very gentle swipes are needed. It will very quickly become clear just
how effective it is.
Here's how clean the rear window got within just a minute or so
...and here's a 50/50 showing the effectiveness of the cleaning
The Results
At my detailing days I always look forward to asking the guys to stroke the
paint once it has been dried following the clay cloth practice. Even on a car
with paint that started out feeling like glasspaper, the sheer surprise at how
smooth the paint feels is palpable.
The transformation tends to generate comments of disbelief and, I have to
say, pure joy!
Cleaning Power
If you're still not convinced, here's a before and after of my ONR bucket. If
you know how ONR behaves, then what you see in the bucket will probably
startle you. I started with a washed car. However, this is what the clay cloth
fetched out of just _half_ the car!
So, what does this cloth remove? Well, along with any hidden embedded sharps
it removed several minor blemishes in the paint. The black spots in the photo
above were deposited by farm flies and can set like tar. As far as tar is
concerned, the cloth will remove tiny spots, but bigger specks should be
tackled with a dedicated tar remover. I'd prefer that to the risk of marring.
With the cloth presenting a much greater working surface, the clean could
never be matched by a clay bar alone, and especially with such light stroking
of the paint surface. Talk about satisfaction with the outcome!
Of course, being in Cumbria, where it knows how to rain, I got interrupted
by the mandatory shower. Here's a view of the beading on clean paint.
Will the Cloth Mar my Paint?
With the audio reminder of just how smooth, or not, the paint surface is,
there's little likelihood of damage as long as you take the greatest care.
The biggest hurdle to overcome by my attendees yesterday was avoiding
the application of pressure. To most it was completely counter-intuitive.
You should take just the same precautions as you do with clay. Frequently
turning the cloth and rinsing it thoroughly all help to keep your surface as
clean and swirl free as possible. I'm hoping that by substituting these notes
for the hopeless instructions on the box, you'll avoid marring too.
Caring For Your Cloth
Whether it costs a tenner or multiples of that, you'll want to keep your
cloth as a working tool for some while. This is quite possible without a
lot of fuss. At the end of the cleaning session, simply give the cloth a
rinse with clean water, don't wring it, but let the surplus water drain out
for several moments before placing it on a dry MF towel, membrane side
up.
Allow the cloth to air dry, then turn it over on the MF towel and gently
fold / roll it backwards into thirds or quarters. If the membrane, which will
remain sticky, actually gets face to face and sticks, then dunk the whole
cloth in fairly warm water a few minutes before trying to gently separate.
One thing I would not recommend is that you mix your clay cloth with
other MF cloths used during the detail, with the cloth joining the MFs
in their 40, 50 or 60 degree wash. It might survive the wash, but the
quite severe wrinkling from the spin-dry will be permanent!
Conclusions
At the start of my adventures with clay cloths I wondered what the devil I
was going to say about such expensive technology. Well even then, as Yoda
might say: "Impressed, I was!" Now that the price has come down to much
more manageable levels I'd say that no detailing armoury should be without
such a useful tool.
One other point. With clay you need to have everything sufficiently warm to
keep it supple and easy to use. The performance of the clay cloth is not in
any way diminished or hampered by cool conditions. Just as long as you keep
everything well lubricated, you'll be fine. Personally, I prefer a lubricant that
doesn't foam, ONR fits the bill perfectly, but that's because I want to keep a
very careful eye on the surface and bubbles would get in the way of that.
How Do I Get One?
At the time of writing, the cloths are priced @ £9.99, exclusive of delivery.
That represents a discount close to 35%!
The "medium" grade cloth was used for our detailing day.
The "fine" grade cloth will probably be just as good.
Personally, I think any difference could be down to marketing hype.
Regards,
Steve
Edited by LowiePete on Thursday 27th April 14:33
What a super day out!
Thank you to everyone who made it along to this informative and wonderfully social, relaxed event.
The numbers made for intimate gathering, so plenty of one-to-one and decent group discussion could be had on all things "detailing", from products and microfibres to machine polishing and (above all) techniques.
The "test car" Laguna exterior was completely transformed from dull, lifeless paint into a surface so shiny in which you could almost apply your make up
Thank you to LowiePete for organising such a great day, and imparting so much knowledge; so much was learnt, so many questions answered. The new location was great and you even organised some pretty decent weather!
Thank you also to the other Darren for showing us all the wonders of machine polishing. The headlight restoration was truly jaw dropping.
Once uploaded, I'll post a link to my photos from the day.
Thank you again, and thank you for the prize!
Darren
Thank you to everyone who made it along to this informative and wonderfully social, relaxed event.
The numbers made for intimate gathering, so plenty of one-to-one and decent group discussion could be had on all things "detailing", from products and microfibres to machine polishing and (above all) techniques.
The "test car" Laguna exterior was completely transformed from dull, lifeless paint into a surface so shiny in which you could almost apply your make up
Thank you to LowiePete for organising such a great day, and imparting so much knowledge; so much was learnt, so many questions answered. The new location was great and you even organised some pretty decent weather!
Thank you also to the other Darren for showing us all the wonders of machine polishing. The headlight restoration was truly jaw dropping.
Once uploaded, I'll post a link to my photos from the day.
Thank you again, and thank you for the prize!
Darren
Thanks Darren,
I've been through most of them with annotations. Have left a few for the
other Darren to explain.
At the moment, my next Detailing Day will be on Saturday 23 September,
though this may be moved to the 30th, date confirmation hopefully by
next weekend.
In due course I'll be looking for a donor car. If we get enough attendees,
then the day will be split between beginner and enthusiast aimed topics.
The reason for the date doubt at present is because I want to involve the
guy in the unit next door to where we were last time. For this next event
we'll be meeting up in a different unit, but close, with room for up to 20.
Regards,
Steve
I've been through most of them with annotations. Have left a few for the
other Darren to explain.
At the moment, my next Detailing Day will be on Saturday 23 September,
though this may be moved to the 30th, date confirmation hopefully by
next weekend.
In due course I'll be looking for a donor car. If we get enough attendees,
then the day will be split between beginner and enthusiast aimed topics.
The reason for the date doubt at present is because I want to involve the
guy in the unit next door to where we were last time. For this next event
we'll be meeting up in a different unit, but close, with room for up to 20.
Regards,
Steve
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